Lady Runaway
by HannahSakura.Pinoy
Summary: Sasuke believed no one would find her after she changed back to her body's true form. She disregards Orochimaru's offer and leaves Konoha to fulfill her goal on her own. Years later she is discovered by a familiar Konoha-nin who decides he wants her as his woman despite her young age. Sasuke only has eyes for her brother, but Genma will soon change that. Genma x FEMALE Sasuke
1. Chapter 1

EDITED 1/30/2014

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Chapter 1

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After his battle he was supposed to head straight to Orochimaru. That was the reason he was out here in the first place. Uchiha Sasuke had just become the newest traitor of his village, and he had no other choice but to move forward with his decision. There were men sent to take him away and were most probably waiting close by for him to locate them. Once he met with them, there would be no turning back, and the dark-haired boy didn't want to. He wanted this. He wouldn't have tried so hard to get away if he didn't have the resolve to leave everything behind.

If Naruto hadn't interfered he probably would've been hours away from this place, whatever it was called. A massive statue of Shodaime was looking across into the eyes of another statue of a man he didn't know. Sasuke briefly wondered what sort of important event could have taken place there that incredible monuments had to be erected, but the thought was irrelevant and was dismissed quickly.

Konoha's newest missing-nin, slowly dragged his drenched, pain-laden body away from an unconscious blond boy, and crossed the rain-soaked field wearily. The surrounding forest was just ahead of him.

His thoughts went to what would happen now that he no longer had any right to return to the only home he knew, and he almost turned his head to look back. But he didn't trust himself at that moment. He did not want to waver even the slightest bit. To look back would be to see the road back to the place he had been born in. To turn his head would be to see that prone twelve-year-old body on the ground, bleeding, barely breathing, and Sasuke did not want to admit it but one more glimpse of that boy just might be the one thing that could shatter his resolve.

That boy could have been his friend. Almost had been, in fact. But there was only one thing that he could keep in his heart, Sasuke reminded himself. Only the burning hatred for his brother could carry him through to his ultimate goal. Anything else would be a distraction and a hindrance, and he did not endure the last five years just to give up halfway.

The last few years Konohagakure had hardly been a home to him. His house had only served as a shelter from the weather and provided a place to sleep at. And sleep had rarely been a peaceful one for him. The village had nothing else to offer, except for low class missions and meager training that was not enough to nurture the true potential in him. There was nearly nothing more to be gained by staying and he had nothing he wanted to take with him except a few memories that would remind him what he had been through.

Now his only option was to go to that vile snake-man who offered to give him what he wanted. Sasuke believed that Orochimaru understood him somehow. The village was a wall that had hindered his growth and he had gained a wealth of knowledge the village had refused to offer. If he joined that man, all that knowledge would be imparted to him. Sasuke was ready and willing to accept.

But there was just one thing that could be a slight problem.

Cloaked within dense forest shadows, Sasuke stopped walking. What would Orochimaru do once he finds out that the boy he'd been expecting was no longer a boy? A glance down revealed the small breasts covered only by the rain-soaked, high-collared blue shirt she regularly wore. There was a disturbing feel to the mounds of flesh she'd just acquired. It wasn't her fault that she had no bandages prepared to hide them. The new weight bothered her. She hadn't expected the change to happen so early. Or at all. Somehow, in the middle of her heated battle with Naruto she had changed back and she hadn't realized at all until her heart beat had returned to normal and they both were down on the gound.

Closing her eyes, she recalled how it all began. Her mind went back to a time when happiness was constant; to a time when her world had not shattered into sharp, unrecognizable pieces.

_"Why?"_

_Five-year old Sasuke stirred at her mother's shocked, muffled voice coming from just outside the living room where she was in. The cushion her head was resting on still held her mother's warmth telling the young girl that Mikoto had left the spot just recently._

_"It is the grand elder's will," answered another voice. Drowsily, she recognized that it belonged to her father._

_"Why," Mikoto whispered almost tonelessly, yet angry. At the same time it was heavily resigned._

_"I don't know." Sasuke wondered if the helplessness in her father's voice had only been imagined. She'd never heard him like that before. He was always so stern, and carried himself with an air of pride and authority. To her he was an image of infallible strength and it was so strange to hear otherwise. She drifted back to sleep with their conversation as her lullaby._

When she had awoken again some hours later, she had nearly cried out in surprise at the old, wrinkly face peering straight down at her. It had taken her several moments to recognize the person as grandma Emiko. Young Sasuke had always found it funny how her name meant 'smiling child' yet she was neither a child nor did she smile frequently. In fact, Sasuke had only seen her with scary, humorless expressions and found her always grumpy and even sterner than her father. Nonetheless she'd always respected grandma Emiko who was the head of the family's council of Elders. She was the eldest and only woman in the council, which probably meant something.

That day, before Sasuke could do or say anything, the grand elder's bony hands had grabbed her face firmly and had made her look at those stern, black eyes that looked much like her own. She could not identify the old lady's expression.

"A boy will be better," the raspy voice had said.

Later on she had found out the little something different on her body. It hadn't mattered to her at that time. What difference did it make for a child? She had been very happy, in fact, that she could relieve herself standing up, exactly the same way as her brother. It hadn't taken her long to get used to her new body then, so she deduced that it wouldn't be much different now for the reverse.

Besides the strange feeling on her chest she felt no different from before. She supposed in time there may be things that would cause some inconvenience, such as menstruation, but surely it wasn't something she would not be able to handle.

As she moved further in through the dense growth each step forward made her feel more exhausted, and doubts began to come to life. A gnarly tree root caused her to stumble and it took all her will power to keep upright and drag her feet through the dim, uneven path. Orochimaru made her think she needed him and promised her power under his guidance.

She wasn't blind to not see his careful manipulations nor was she stupid that she believed every single thing he told her. Initially she thought she didn't mind becoming his puppet, but now she realized how foolish she'd be to go to him.

He wanted to make her stronger for his own self-interest and wouldn't care whether she would achieve her goals. It was a game she couldn't win when all she would be was a puppet under his influence.

She wouldn't go to him. She wasn't obliged to him in any way, she thought without a stir of any emotion, as if the rain washed it all away into nothingness. Turning her body towards a different direction, she pushed forward, resolving to seize the future with her own hands.

If Orochimaru or anyone else didn't find her soon enough, it would steadily become more difficult to do so. They certainly wouldn't know that they should be looking for a girl instead.

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_Three years later…_

"Stop right there!"

Shiranui Genma, special jounin of Fire country's Konohagakure, halted instantly at the sudden whisper by his ear. The point of a cold, sharp steel was poised dangerously at the side of his neck and he held his breath instinctively. Slowly, turning his head he could see just enough of the person who had sneaked behind him and he cursed himself for being careless. He should have known better than to lower his guard, even if it was just a little bit.

He'd been walking to his temporary residence from a tiny bar just two blocks away and it was late. His companions had left earlier and he was alone in the shadowy street, or so he'd thought. He recognized the attacker immediately, though, and he was very pleased at the sudden turn of events.

The curly-haired, stocky man was the suspected missing-nin he'd been following for a few days. When Genma lost track of him earlier in the day he decided not to pursue further, knowing that he'd probably been spotted and the suspect could be waiting for him in the next corner. Having a fight in the busy street would blow his cover, and so he had chosen to leave it at that.

"Do I know you?" Genma asked innocently.

"Don't play dumb. I know you've been following me for a while, so I decided to introduce myself." Genma heard the smirk in the man's voice even though he couldn't see it. "You looked pretty dangerous, but surprisingly, I'm disappointed."

"Sorry that I don't meet your expectations," he replied, and with a few quick movements, the man was on the ground with his own kunai impaled on his left arm. Before he could do anything, Genma kicked him in the face hard enough to make him pass out.

Glancing down at the unconscious man, he sighed, relieved that nothing went wrong. He took out a long senbon needle from the inside pocket of his civilian vest, placing it in his mouth triumphantly.

"Mission accomplished."

Back at the the small inn his team was stationed at, a message arrived at the room he shared with a teammate. It contained confirmation of the man's status as a Sand missing-nin and orders and information for a new mission. Genma swore as he absorbed the hastily written words.

"What is it?" From his perch on the wide window sill, his young teammate's pale eyes stared at him. He tossed the scroll to the newly appointed jounin who in turn caught it with graceful ease. A glare darkened the expressionless face as he read the contents.

"Akatsuki," he said in a quiet voice. The menace in his voice was unmistakable.

"That's right, Hyuuga. Pack your things. We'll leave as soon as I gather the rest."

Genma stepped out and quickly entered the room beside theirs to relay the message that they'd been dispatched to confirm the unverified report of an Akatsuki sighting in a town close to the one they were located in. They were ordered not to engage unless absolutely necessary, and hopefully it wouldn't come to that. Their four-man team might not stand a chance especially if they encounter more than one member of the notorious group. There would be no room for carelessness this time, if they wanted to stay alive.


	2. Chapter 2

EDITED 2/1/2014

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Chapter 2

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It was the perfect time to act. The evening was late and a lot of the inn's guests were either drinking busily or had already turned in for the night. The servers, too, were similarly engaged with still a high number of customers. Through the curtain that separated the kitchen from the dining hall, the female took a peek and spotted her target. The man was still enjoying himself with alcohol while boasting loudly to his equally drunk companions.

Sasuke wiped her damp palms on her still immaculate white apron that came with the drab kimono uniform. Her long wavy brown wig obscured her face slightly and the right make up made her look plain. No one would ever guess that she wasn't who she appeared to be. She looked exactly like any ordinary young woman.

Taking a tray with a bottle of warm sake on it, the girl emerged from the kitchen, wove her way through the crowded floor, swerving past grasping hands, and went up the stairs that led to the guest quarters. The wavering light of the lamps that lined the walls of the long hallway revealed a dozen identical doors. There were no numbers for anyone to tell the rooms apart but fortunately she had managed to see her target emerge from his room earlier and so didn't have to enter and check every single one.

Quickly she moved to the fifth door on the right, listened to confirm that no one was inside, and grasped the knob with her free hand. It was locked. Glancing around, she assured herself that no one was coming then drew a pin from her hair and picked the simple lock easily. As soon as she stepped inside and closed the door she set the tray on the low table in the center of the fairly large room and began searching every drawers and the two large bags. She also rummaged through the hanging garments, checked all the pockets and looked for hidden ones, finding nothing of interest.

The only place she hadn't checked was the bed. Nothing was beneath the frame or underneath and inside the old, lumpy cushion. Behind the wooden headboard, however, were several folded letters and a small pouch of coins. Hastily scanning each page gave her nothing that she wanted.

It was another false lead, and Sasuke's fingers curled into fists at her sides as soon as she replaced the items back where she had found them. There wasn't a single thing mention about the organization she was after or any of its known members.

She had followed the man that rented this room only because she had obtained information that he had connections with a very covert group of outlaws. There weren't any confirmations, but there were suspicions that the Akatsuki was involved.

This had happened many times before, though. It seemed as if the Akatsuki was becoming more aggressive with their activities, and their name was gradually being whispered at different places in all the five great nations. A lot of those were merely rumors though, but she had told herself that it was better to be thorough than to have allowed important leads to slip away.

There was no longer anything left to look through in the room. She decided to make a quick survey to ensure that everything was exactly as she had found them and was heading toward the door when she heard a key turning the lock. Sasuke cursed under her breath. The man outside began rattling the key, trying to turn the lock that was already open.

Quickly, she made to escape through the window but it wouldn't open all the way and it would take to long for her to squeeze through. The knob was being turned. When the door swung open, Sasuke was by the table with the tray in her hands, appearing to have been in the middle of leaving the white sake bottle for the guest. She turned to him in innocent surprise. Yamashiro Kakuta was larger up close than she had initially realized.

"What are you doing here, girl?" he growled in a deep voice that slurred. "How did you get in? My room was locked."

"It was open, sir," she said meekly, bowing her head and avoiding his eyes in a polite, servile way. " I was just delivering the sake you ordered. I'll be on my way."

"I didn't—" he paused, looking her over from her head to her toes. "Never mind."

He appeared to relax slightly although it was obviously that he was still annoyed, muttering something about cheap locks. Yamashiro closed the door and crossed the room unsteadily. "Don't leave yet. It's a cold night. I could use a little warmth in my bed.

Sasuke dodged to one side as he reached for her. "Good night, sir," she said, hiding her slight alarm and irritation, and darted quickly towards the door.

"Not so fast!" He grabbed her by the waist and jerked her close to him. Pulling away, she fought the urge to kick him and blow her cover. Despite his flashy attire and seeming lack of grace, she felt the strong hard muscles in his arms and legs and recognized the callused hands of one accustomed to weapons. He was definitely a shinobi as she had suspected. But he had no connections to the one she was looking for, therefore she refused to waste any more time in his presence. Except she couldn't get away.

He pulled her into a tight embrace as he turned her to face him and she felt something hard strapped under his wrists, hidden by the sleeves of his coat. She instantly knew that those were concealed weapons. Sasuke forced herself to relax but kept her mouth closed tightly against the invasion of his tongue. He kept trying to force it through her lips clumsily and roughly but to no avail, although he seemed to be enjoying her disgust and the physical struggled she was attempting. One of his hands moved to her breasts as he took her sudden stillness as compliance. As if she would. She broke away as soon as he loosened his grip, making it to the door and out halfway down the corridor but he caught her again. "You're faster than you look."

Sasuke struggled against him as he tried to carry her back to his room. She was able to free her arm and it gave her the opportunity to elbow his face blindly. It hit him right on his eye. He dropped her, she began to run again.

However, escape was elusive. The man was heavilly inebriated, but it wasn't working in her favor. Yamashiro's right foot hooked behind the other as he went to chase her. He caught her again as he stumbled forward and they went down together with him on top of her.

Sasuke's eyes widened as she gasped for breath. He was more than twice as heavy and he pinned her to the wooden floor with the weight of his body, never giving her the chance to recover her breath or her wits.

Roughly hands pulled her kimono down to her waist. The cold air made her shiver as it touched her bare skin. She felt her nipples harden instantly and cursed her body while his lecherous grin made her want to curl in disgust. She was trapped beneath him and they both knew she was physically unable to overpower him. He forced her legs open with his knees, chuckling drunkenly as he did so.

"Much nicer than I expected." She saw him lick his lips. Her face twisted in anger as she watched him look down at her with drunken desire and she decided then that she would kill him before the hand squeezing her naked breast could find the kunai strapped to the inside of thigh. While he was distracted with kissing her she carefully reached for it.

A fingertip just felt the cool metal handle when the heavy weight suddenly disappeared and she could properly breathe again.

"The young lady doesn't seem interested," said a cool, slightly cocky voice. Sasuke looked up to see the tall, brown-haired man pinning her assailant to the wall. His back was to her so she couldn't see his face. He appeared to be exerting little effort and pressure but Yamashiro was unable to break free despite his larger size.

"I never want to see you near her again, got that?" his low, dangerous voice whispered so that only the other man could hear him. Yamashiro grunted in response and the man released him. The outlaw looked like he still wanted to attempt a final strike but smartly thought better of it. He glared down at both of them as he stumbled back to his room, banging the door to his room loudly as he closed it. She heard the lock turn.

"Are you alright, miss? "Her rescuer turned to her as he asked. Instantly, Sasuke stiffened in recognition as she saw his face. The man was in his early thirties, his handsome face grinning down at her. She knew him as the referee during the Chuunin exam finals. She did not know his name. Even though he wore plain clothes and had a toothpick between his lips instead of a senbon, she didn't have any doubt that it was him indeed. His appearance had changed little, and although she'd encountered him only briefly that one time three years ago his face had remained quite distinctly in her memory. A lot had happened that day. She had been late for her bout and had fought with Gaara from Sunagakure, and other more unpleasant things with great repercussions. She forced the memories from her mind in favor of concentrating on the present situation.

Her heart raced from nervousness and fear. She had on a heavy disguise, but maybe she hadn't changed enough, and for the first time in a very long time genuine fear pulsed through her and she couldn't make herself move despite that her mind screamed at her to do so. She cannot go back to Konoha, she refused to.

She resolved to fight against this man with everything she had and planned to whip out her weapon in a surprise attack and stab him as soon as he moves to grab her.

But moments went by, and he did and said nothing. That was when her panic subsided and she could once again think calmly. By looking at his face, she could tell that he didn't know or suspect anything. He did not come for her. He could not recognize her at all with the wig and all the make up coating her face.

Genma watched the young girl staring up at him with her wide blue eyes. Several moments had already gone by since he had pulled that lecherous drunkard off of her but in her shock she still had not moved from her spot on the floor. Knowing that he should act with caution lest he scare her even more, he chose to smile kindly instead and studied her covertly as he waited for her to calm down.

Her face was very plain while her hair was dull and unremarkable in color, but her body pleased him. _Very lovely_, he thought as he fought to keep his gaze on her face and not on the very exposed breasts. Knowing that he had given her enough time to recover by then, he held out his hand and she almost cringed away but accepted it hesitantly and allowed him pull her up. As soon as she was on her feet he patiently allowed her to turn away so she could fix her clothes. He saw that her shoulders were still tense and he couldn't blame her. He let his gaze fall toward the door where the bastard had gone in to and glared at it.

Sasuke couldn't relax completely even though he did not seem to recognize her. She knew she was being paranoid. Her mind told her that he couldn't possibly put her twelve-year old face and her disguised one together. Taking a deep breath, she relaxed visibly, although inside there was a chaotic flurry of alarm bells ringing.

_Keep calm_, she told herself mentally, and turned back to face him.

"Thank you very much for helping me, sir." She knew she shouldn't stick around any longer, and had no reason to either. It was dangerous to stay because if one Konoha shinobi was here, there was a high probably that others were in town with him. Without waiting for a response, she hurried down the rest of hallway toward the corner to the stairway.

"Wait!" Genma called out, grabbing her wrist. "What's your name?"

His grip only tightened when she tried to pull away. "Aya," she said automatically, not looking at him and hiding her face with her long hair.

He bent down to her height and watched her, amused by her timidity and found it cute. Reverting to an air of polite detachment, he said, "Get a good sleep then, Aya-chan, and forget about tonight."

"Yes, sir."

Relieved that she could go and wasn't even suspected, she sighed quietly and hurried away. _Finally_, she thought, and then bumped her nose into someone's chest as she rounded the corner. Again Sasuke cursed herself for being clumsy and careless, apologizing to the person automatically as a servant would.

"No, it's my fault," the newcomer said, and then their eyes met when she glanced up.

_Not again_, she thought and nearly groaned aloud. She grunted quietly instead as she froze momentarily.

Hyuuga Neji's eyes narrowed as he peered down at her. He was one of the worst people that could have seen her. She cursed her luck, and cursed the male too just for existing. They stared at each other for a long minute before she became aware of her expression. Her eyes had become so wide with surprise and her forehead creased with worry. She ducked her head immediately upon realizing this and struggled to neutralize her expression, telling herself that he couldn't possibly recognize her, not after three years, not under all the layers of her disguise.

After what seemed like an eternity he finally moved around her and walked towards Genma who had watched it all happen. She scurried away, acting frightened, exactly how she supposed a girl who was almost raped would act.

"Take care, Aya-chan!" Genma called out, watching the poor girl running away. Turning to his seventeen-year old companion, he raised his eyebrow at the thoughtful expression. "What is it?"

"It's nothing," he answered, even though Neji thought there was something unusual about that girl just now. She looked like any ordinary girl, but somehow there was something familiar about her. He couldn't let go of the expression she wore when their eyes had met. It had seemed at first that she recognized him too, but apparently he was mistaken. Setting aside his irrelevant thoughts, he turned his full attention to the team captain. "Did you find anything?"

"There was a little incident just before I could get to that." Genma recounted what had occurred minutes before his arrival and Neji decided the girl was just frightened of a repeat episode.

Putting the girl away from both their minds, the two shared a look and turned towards Yamashiro's door. The senbon wielder cracked his knuckles and smirked as he broke through the door, shocking the man on the bed awake.

"You again! What are—!" Genma's fist silenced him while the Hyuuga began to search the room for any evidence linking him to the Akatsuki organization. They found the letters hidden behind the headboard but it contained only correspondence with a drug dealer about certain safe locations to meet buyers . There was nothing else remotely relevant in the room. It became very clear that they had followed a useless lead.

After they confirmed the sighting two weeks ago their team had been made a temporary reconnaissance group focusing on the whereabouts of the notorious fugitive group. So far the following three leads, including tonight's, were false, and if it continued then the group would cease operations. Not that Genma minded seeing as Akatsuki hadn't been as active in the last few years as they had been once.

The two Konoha shinobi reported Yamashiro to the police before they left to go back to their camp in the forest, having decided earlier to sleep outdoors that night since they hadn't received their group allowance yet.

Unbeknownst to them, Sasuke watched them as they left the inn. Tonight wasn't the first time she had encountered a Leaf-nin and so decided to ignore the foreboding feeling that crept into her heart.

She had waited for them downstairs, of course still in disguise and hidden within shadows, having suspected that they might be after something or someone in town. Apparently it wasn't her as she'd initially feared and declared to herself that they must have already disregarded the existence of 'Aya' from their minds. Instead their purpose here was the same as hers and they both had found that it had been a futile chase, which she was very frustrated with. If only she'd gone upstairs earlier she probably wouldn't have crossed paths with either Yamashiro or those two but anyway in the end it all went quite well. As she left the town, she decided it was coincidental that they had followed the same false lead, and convinced herself that she would not encounter them anymore.

She found out how wrong she was three days later.


	3. Chapter 3

I did some editing in the previous chapters, so it's better to read them all again. Thanks and enjoy!

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Chapter 3

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Her red hair was like a beacon that attracted the eyes of every man in the spacious chamber. Underneath the bright yellow lights in the brothel's main hall area, it glowed in waves like a burning flame. Hands reached out to caress the exposed skin of her neck and shoulders, as well as attempting to squeeze her round behind as she passed by to serve fresh drinks to a group of gentlemen lounging on the floor, surrounded by soft cushions and women who were mostly attired in kimonos that revealed too much skin.

Playfully, she flirted with them as they blatantly stared at the generous cleavage barely covered by her deep red kimono peppered with black and white flower designs. Glancing around covertly, she watched and listened closely for any useful information.

The brothel was called Butterfly Palace, and it was the most famous and most expensive establishment in the red light district of Suzume, a village up north in Wind Country. Sasuke had stumbled into the village a few months after she had left Konoha and struck a deal with the owner Kawai-san.

Kawai-san was a former prostitute who was able to buy herself out of a small brothel. She'd grown up in one and made it into a business after she had gotten tired of doing menial jobs that payed so little. When she was nearly forty, shehad managed to seduce a rich husband and later poisoned him. With her new-found wealth, she had Butterfly Palace built and under her leadership, the brothel quickly became popular and had maintained its top spot since. None of the other brothels in Suzume and nearby came even close to it.

Sasuke had always been on the move, looking for hints and clues regarding Itachi's whereabouts. Beside that, she'd been picking up combat techniques wherever she went, and sometimes took on jobs in exchange for money, food, and or shelter.

Kawai-san had spotted her when she was looking for a job and had offered one in her brothel. Sasuke had refused to become a prostitute, but the old lady had been persistent. She had seen the young girl's beauty beneath the dirt and grime and had refused to not have her. Kawai-san loved money, and she knew she had found a girl that could bring more of it than she could ever dream of.

In the end, Sasuke had been convinced to come visit Butterfly Palace and it was there that they had struck a deal. She would work there only as a server, in exchange for a salary, food, and shelter. The brothel owner was a bit disappointed, but she knew that the girl's face could still bring in a lot of customers.

In the next few weeks, Sasuke had endured the reaching hands. She had indeed become popular as Kawai predicted, despite the minimal make-up and the conservative kimonos that were a lot plainer than the ones the prostitutes wore. She had remained careful though. Sasuke had always worn make-up that slightly altered her features and hid her real hair under a wig, in case a visiting Konoha-nin would come by.

Not long after, Sasuke had realized a lot of information came and went in the brothel. Sometimes she had heard them herself when she served sweet delicacies, other times she heard the women talking about it during the day when all the customers had left and the brothel was still closed. Some were uttered by men with their guards lowered completely, thinking nothing of the women that served and pleasured them. Some, though, specifically chose the location for covert meetings in the guise of seeking pleasure. It was then that Sasuke struck another deal with the owner. She had realized that to obtain the more crucial information she would need to get closer than just briefly appearing by their dinner table surrounded by companions. She had finally agreed to serve men more intimately.

She wouldn't need to sleep with the men, she had told herself. Using genjutsu would be enough. There was a lot of training involved though, and Sasuke hadn't realized it when she had first agreed. She had been given basic education on manners, speech and communication. Everything from how to do her hair to wearing her clothes, and putting on make up was important, and Kawai-san had been very strict on her.

She had brought in a lot of money, so Kawai-san learned not to complain whenever Sasuke refused to serve for the night. It made her more expensive and desirable. Kawai had understood that she was hiding, and asked nothing. A lot of the women that worked for her had sought for refuge and found it in the Palace. She had also understood that Sasuke was looking for someone, and began helping her gather information and allowed her to take leaves whenever she needed to follow a lead.

Now it was three years later. Unexpectedly, Sasuke had grown to like the old woman, who was now over sixty. Kawai was the one who had taught her everything she knew about disguises. She was the one who provided Sasuke all the materials, from the wigs and the outfits, to the make up. It had helped her in all the undercover missions she went on. She suspected that Kawai liked her a lot too, even though she had never said anything of the sort. Sasuke suppressed a smirk as she knelt down next to another group and listened to the customers' drunken chatter.

"Spend the night with me, Yoma-san," he said to her, the smell of alcohol strong on his breath.

Before she could answer, another quipped in. "I'm afraid I shall win the bid tonight, my friend. And Yoma-san shall be enjoying the night with me in her bed." This man, Asai Kagari, was the eldest son of a silk merchant and Sasuke had served him once before as the golden-haired Asagi.

In the Butterfly Palace, Sasuke interchanged with three identities: Yona, the redheaded temptress, the sensual blonde Asagi, and the innocent Erina whose hair could be described as either dark blonde or a very light brown. It kept things interesting in the Palace, and it pleased both the owner and the customers.

Asai Kagari was pleasant looking, and he spent a lot of money on the women, sometimes buying several in one night. But the one Sasuke needed tonight was his best friend, Noya Eijimaru.

Noya owned several small weapons shops around Wind Country. His family wasn't particularly rich, neither had they ever been a noble or a political family that had a lot of connections. But somehow, the larger weapons shops and manufacturers have not been able to topple them down when the other small ones had been bought out or closed down. And recently they have expanded three more stores and were doing quite well. They weren't particularly popular nor had anything different to offer, but somehow Noya Eijimaru and his younger brother were able to afford regular visits to the village's most expensive brothel and choosing the most expensive women.

People have been wondering for months how they were able to afford and keep up their lifestyle, but Sasuke had dismissed it as jealous gossip. A few weeks ago, however, one of the women had heard that the Noya family dealt business with criminals and other fugitives. A large portion of their merchandise were being supplied to those shady groups and individuals in exchange for favors.

With some research, a lot of the recent bank heists involved the villages and towns with a Noya Weapons Shop and areas close by had a spike in aggressive criminal activities. And in several of those incidents, gossip concerning Akatsuki sightings have been steadily flowing.

And it all started after Noya Eijiro died and his eldest son Eijimaru took over. Everything was definitely more than a coincidence, and Sasuke was certain that this time, something of weight would be gained from this lead. And Noya Eijimaru was her ticket to obtaining it.

She would keep seducing him, and later when they were alone, she could either make him answer with the help of illusions, or force it out of him physically, depending on how he'd react.

When the entertainers entered the stage and caught everyone's attention, Sasuke decisively put her plan into motion. She looked deep into Eijimaru's eyes and smiled at him suggestively with lips that were painted to look exaggeratedly fuller. In turn, he glanced at her and his hand reached for her thigh, lingered, squeezed once gently, and then withdrew. She felt the heat of his flesh through the three layers of the kimono she was wearing.

As soon as the dancers and musicians left the stage, Kawai-san appeared before them, still beautiful for her age despite the wrinkled face and heavy make-up, to announce which man would get the prostitute of his choosing to their bed for the night. It was based on who had offered the largest amount for each girl. During the early part of dinner, the women were given free reign to parade themselves around the hall. They would flirt and converse and entertain, while the men watched, flirted back if they wished, and were allowed some level of physical interaction. Before the meal ended, they were given papers on which they would write down the name of the woman or women who have caught their eye and the amount they were willing to pay for each.

Every night, after the stage entertainment, the owner would announce the highest bidders, and they would be escorted by their prize to private quarters and would spend the night there if they so wish. The remaining men would then bid for the remaining women, or stay in the main hall to be served food and drinks and be entertained in less intimate levels.

Sasuke was certain that tonight it was Eijimaru she would be escorting to the upper floor where the private rooms were. She had made her interest known to him earlier by flirting outrageously, and even used her Sharingan and given him glimpses of what they could be doing in bed tonight.

When their names were announced, she released a relieved breath. Glancing at him with her eyes, she smiled slightly, pleased at the outcome. He seemed to take it as a flirtation, and grinned seductively as he stood and offered her his hand.

Together they went upstairs. They entered the room at the end of the hallway, furthest away from everyone else. It was the best room the brothel had to offer, reserved only for the highest buyer of the night. The large bed dominated the room, sucking in both their gazes although it was not their first time to be in its presence.

Cold sake was waiting for them on the side table near the windows. He was pleased as he spotted it and poured them each a cup. He preferred his sake that way and told her so.

Sasuke accepted the tiny porcelain cup and pretended to sip the clear liquid.

"You don't like alcohol do you, Yoma-san?"

Surprised, she stared at him and knew from his expression that lying wouldn't work on him. She smiled and replaced the cup on the table. He was more perceptive than she had realized. Under the dim lights, he seemed more serious and the glint in his eyes was full of lust. His gaze surveyed her face carefully but it kept straying towards the breasts that were pushed up and actually enhanced with hidden padding to make her appear more voluptuous. It didn't matter that they weren't real because he wouldn't actually be enjoying them anyway.

"You pretended to drink just now didn't you? I've been watching you for some weeks now, and I noticed that you've been doing so regularly." He smiled kindly into her eyes. "Do you like sweets?"

Sasuke blinked. She wasn't particularly fond of sweets, but she didn't dislike them and was about to say so, but he didn't give her any time to respond.

Before she knew it, his mouth had latched itself onto hers in a open-mouthed kiss and her body was pressed firmly against him. She couldn't guard herself against the heat of his wet tongue and the grinding of his pelvis as her arms were pinned to her sides by a strong arm around her waist. A large palm squeezed one breast and she willed for him to not notice the false fullness.

"Eijimaru-sama," she gasped as she twisted her head away, but he followed her mouth mercilessly, and slid his tongue into her, swirling, wet, hot. Sasuke endured the intrusion, waiting for the right moment to use her Sharingan and trick him into talking. He broke the kiss, but her respite was brief. The mouth returned greedily.

There was a sweet taste in her mouth. At first she thought it was only her imagination, but then she felt something hard and tiny touch her tongue. Eijimaru withdrew, and they both tried to catch their breaths.

"It's candy. How is it?" He was smirking slightly as he asked this, a faint smudge of red lipstick coating his mouth. He watched her intently.

"It's good." It wasn't too sweet, and there was a subtle fruity flavor. She liked it, surprisingly. "It's delicious," she added, slightly disappointed that it dissolved quickly.

Taking one step away but not releasing her from the circle of his arm, he reached into the front pocket of his dark trousers and took out a small pouch, handing it to her. One pull of the string that kept it closed revealed tiny purple discs filling half of the bag. Each candy was only about the size of her smallest fingernail and was a centimeter thick.

"Have another," he said, and plucked one out and slid it between her lips.

She sighed deeply as it dissolved on her tongue.

"How do you feel?"

It seemed odd to her that he asked that question, but she dismissed the thought as soon as one palm cupped her behind and pressed her against him. His hand squeezed and she moaned. He chuckled as he began grinding his pelvis hard into hers. The motion brought her sighing and imitating the movement.

"That's right, love." The sash around her was being tugged loose as she felt his lips leaving warm, damp trails down the side of her neck. Moans continued to slip out of her painted lips, and the thought that she was unusually receptive came to her. Glancing around, she noticed the pouch that had been in her hands just minutes before was on the table, spilling its contents on the shiny wooden surface. She didn't remember putting it there or letting Eijimaru take it out of her hands to do so himself.

The room moved, and she realized she was being lifted towards the bed. It was then that she spotted the black sash that was supposed to be wrapped around her waist was on the floor, lying exactly where they had been just moments before. It was unlike her to be so distracted in the presence of a customer, she thought.

The tongue between her breasts swirled in warm circles, his short hair tickled her skin. The bed bounced as she was dropped onto it. Sluggishly, she watched Eijimaru remove two layers of clothing and stood in only his trousers. The large bulge between his legs caught her attention.

Then it struck her that something was wrong.

"Wait!" Alarmed, she sat up.

"Too late, Yoma-san." His pants slipped down his legs. Before she could leap away, he was already on top of her. Her body felt weak as she struggled beneath him, and she knew why.

_The candy._

"Relax, Yoma-san. Just enjoy. You'll feel really good, I promise." he whispered, and ripped her kimono open. Sasuke didn't care anymore that her breasts were now exposed and that all the padding was now being revealed to the man's eyes.

Grabbing his jaw with gentle fingers, she coaxed him to lower his guard and look directly in her eyes. He smiled, thinking that she had finally given in. Black eyes turned red. The man on top of her froze.

"Excuse me." Sasuke and Eijimaru both gasped at the new voice, and their gazes broke contact as Eijimaru was forcefully pulled off of her and sent crashing to a chair ten feet away. She hadn't heard anyone come in. The door was still shut, but one of the windows at the far end of the room was slid open.

The man cloaked in black walked slowly towards the crumpled, naked body and crouched. She heard him curse.

_Is he dead?_ Sasuke became alarmed at the thought. She hadn't even gotten the chance to find anything out. She studied the body intently as she struggled to sit up. Eijimaru didn't twitch or make any sound. A fierce anger coursed through her as she glared at the intruder's back. It could take her months to get another lead, and she was very certain the dead man had some sort of solid information on either Akatsuki's whereabouts or their activities. Why he was there didn't matter. She would kill him for interrupting her mission.

Reaching inside her open kimono, she extracted a small knife from a hidden pocket she had sewn into the garment. The man turned at the same time she pulled the soft leather case off the blade. It caught his eye instantly.

"Woah. Take it easy. I'm only here for him." He jabbed his thumb behind him. He came forward a few steps, nearer to the light. She froze as she saw his face. In the dim yellow glow, his hair turned almost golden, his eyes, too, shone as it caught the light. His handsome face softened with the reassuring grin he sent her way and she noticed the lack of senbon/toothpick in his mouth.

For a while she couldn't move. She glanced at Eijimaru's body again and glared as she came to a realization. Konoha was also following leads on Akatsuki. Last time she hadn't been so sure if this Konoha-nin and Hyuuga Neji were indeed looking for clues concerning her brother's organization, but now she knew this, and also that she'd been right that Noya Eijimaru might have some connection with them.

"He's just unconscious." He quipped suddenly. Backing away, he nudged the body with his foot and sure enough, Eijimaru groaned but didn't awaken.

"Oh..." She dropped the knife. "That's good."

Genma's smile widened. The woman's face was beautiful and heat burned in his loins at the sight of the exposed white flesh and the round, full breasts. He had earlier noticed the padding as soon as he had dragged her despicable customer off of her and thought that she really didn't need it at all. He didn't like the overdone make up either, and just knew she would look a lot better without any of it.

"Come join me, sir," she invited, her earlier expression of hostility vanishing. Another jolt of lust struck him and he felt his manhood stir. He couldn't decide if it was a good day because he was able to be in the presence of a nearly naked woman or if it was a bad one because he couldn't stay and do more than set his eyes upon her. She looked so delicious with that body and all that red hair that came down past her shoulders in loose waves.

"Sorry, but I can't." He truly was, but he was on a mission. It had to come first. He turned away quickly before she could suck him in with those very dark eyes. "I gotta take this guy to meet some friends."

She became silent, and he thought she was disappointed. He was greatly disappointed, too. _If only she knew how much_, he thought. Hoisting the unconscious body over his shoulder, Genma started walking back towards the windows when he heard the quick movement behind him.

He turned sharply in time to dodge the hand that held a sharp looking weapon. With the body over one shoulder he swayed dangerously because of the extra weight, but his feet were quick to make him regain his balance and keep him upright. As another attack came after him, he dropped the body, grabbed the wrist, and hooked his left foot behind the woman's right one, and they came crashing down together with him on top.

The weapon she dropped landed a few feet beside them, and his eyes narrowed at the familiar form and design. The kunai was old, but what caught his attention was that it was exactly like his own set of kunai. The shape, the color, and even the leaf symbol engraved upon the the handle. Gathering her wrists in one one hand, he pinned them above her head, and with the other reached for the blade. Before he even touched it he knew it wasn't a replica. Feeling the weight in his hand confirmed it even more. Everything was too similar to the real one for it to be fake.

"Where did you get this, sweetheart?" He smiled down at her kindly, but menacingly.

Her deep red mouth only tightened, but Genma briefly felt her hands tremble.

He'd already decided that she was missing-nin, only he didn't know from which country or village. Owning the same weapon didn't ultimately mean that she was from the same village, and it didn't necessarily mean that she wasn't a civilian either. But from her speed and the silent way she moved, she was definitely a shinobi.

"So you're after that guy, too, huh? You're welcome to have him after we're done with him. We only want to ask a few questions." He caressed her face. "But before that, since you're here, why don't you tell me who you are? Depending on your answer, I just might let you go."

As he watched her expression turn even harder, Genma instantly knew he had caught something big.

She twisted her face away from his hand fiercely, and he almost laughed, pleased with her defiant response. The action gave him the perfect view of her profile. _Gorgeous_, he thought as he drank the view openly with admiring eyes.

He was definitely going to take his time enjoying this. Today was a lucky day after all, he decided.

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Hey, guys! Do leave me a review. It'll make me happy! :)

How's the story and my writing?


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

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Angrily, Sasuke twisted her face away from the Konoha-nin's hand. The sensation of his warm fingers as they caressed her skin made her toes curl. Strangely, she liked it, but she also knew that it had a lot to do with the drug she had consumed twice earlier. It heighted her senses to touch while making her body sluggish and heavy. She could have finished this man off had she been at the top of her game.

"What's the matter?" he asked her, voice deep and low and quiet. He had whispered it directly to her ear and Sasuke couldn't stop her body from shivering. She suddenly yearned to become lost in the moment. She wanted to yield, wanted to melt under the heat of the body that was pressed against hers and clutch onto him forever. It was the drug affecting her. But maybe it wasn't.

"Talk to me, darling," Genma whispered again, immensely enjoying the tremors that travelled through her body and in his mind he knew that he shouldn't be doing any of this at all. But he was absolutely spent from all the travelling and being away from home that he was so ready to give in to the softness beneath him. He wouldn't. He shouldn't. But, _damn_, it was oh so tempting. His body refused to move away from where he was settled. Surely there was no harm in staying for a while longer?

The woman smelled so good, and she was gorgeous in spite of the paint that caked her face. He sighed heavily and forced himself to push away from the floor. He wasn't able to move far. The wrists he had released came into contact with his back. He didn't immediately realize that her arms had snaked around him until his face was pressed onto the lush, naked breasts he'd been yearning to touch since he had entered the room from the window and spotted her with that seductive expression on her face.

For several moments he became as still as a rock. And his member went just as hard. It had been months since he last bedded a woman, and it had mostly not been by choice. And now here he was, and here she was, and they were both eagerly willing to became even more intimate than they already were.

He groaned out loud, not removing his face from where it was settled and he shook as he fought with himself. The next thing he knew was that one of his palms was resting against one plump mound of flesh and the other was pulling one of her legs so that he could settle himself in the new space.

He'd already gone too far and he was aware of it and once again he fought with himself. This time the rational part of him won over the bestial part of him. Cursing, he pulled his face away from her chest and took the deepest breath he'd ever made in his life. The long sigh that followed was intentional and it calmed him. Her arms though were stubbornly pulling him back and he still very much wanted to settle back into her softness but his resolve was like steel. Gently untangling her limbs away, he rose quickly, triumphantly turning his head away from temptation.

His lids fell closed as he sighed again. Her presence was still powerful to him, but he knew that the next time he would turn his gaze back to her he would no longer be swayed. He would not deny that desire was still present, but he would not act upon it, despite the strength of its hold on him.

"It's time for me to leave," he declared regretfully. He picked up her kunai and studied it briefly before pocketing it. When he finally faced her again she was resting back on her elbows, staring up at him with a silent longing in her eyes mixed with an unmistakable confusion that made him smile. He avoided looking down at her still naked torso with surprising success. With amusement he thought that her expression oddly reminded him of a child and for the first time wondered how old she was.

It definitely wouldn't surprise him if her age was below twenty years. The way she tried to seduce him showed that she wasn't as experienced as her appearance led him to believe. Prostitution was probably not her vocation anyway, seeing as she was trained in shinobi arts. He would let her go since no harm was done to his mission, although she definitely almost led him astray with her inexperienced seduction.

The urge to ruffle her hair was powerful and to that he allowed himself to act upon it. He crouched low beside her to gently place his hand on her head, and from the very moment he came into contact with it he found that it wasn't as silky as it appeared.

Because it was actually a wig.

When he ran his fingers through the long waves the top of her head shifted. It surprised him so much that he stopped all motion and leaned slightly away to study the head with the suddenly askew hair. The red thing came off completely with one firm tug and her real hair tumbled down her shoulders in untwisting motions. For several long moments he simply stared. She, too, wasn't attempting anything. That was, until one of the pins inserted in her real hair fell right between her breasts. In the dim light Genma was a witness to the realization and alarm that exploded on her face. All desire ebbed away from her eyes and those dark orbs became clear.

After a gasp, she rolled several feet away, clutching her kimono over her breasts protectively. Her face had become fierce with a shocked anger and she was staring straight at him as the wig fell from his hands in disbelief.

Something about her expression and reaction got to him. Even her motions seemed familiar so his mind swiftly browsed through memories from both recent and long ago incidents in irregular order. Suddenly it came to him. He could recall but three days earlier he had an encounter with the girl called Aya-chan. She had been quick and nearly silent in her movements and he had thought nothing of it then. He didn't even consciously realize his observation until this very moment. The plain girl looked nothing like this woman and acted differently also. But there were two things that could prove that he had in fact encountered the exact same female.

He had seen both women's naked breasts. In hindsight, the shape and size did seem identical, he gathered from his memory. They were round and full, not overly large, and the nipples were pale pink in color. With the heavy make up he couldn't find Aya-chan anywhere on this woman's face. The lips were painted to look fuller, and the eyes were heavily rimmed in dark paint and her eyelids were shaded in a way that probably altered the shape.

But there was that other thing. He studied the shape of her head intently from where he was standing. He moved his head so he could catch sight of the beautiful profile again and compared it to the servant girl's from the inn mentally. Genma came to a decisive conclusion: Aya-chan and this 'prostitute' were one and the same.

A wide smirk took over his mouth. He made no attempt to hide it from her. Remembering Noya, he glanced to his left to make sure that the man was in fact still there and still unconscious. Now that a new knowledge that 'Aya-chan' had come to be in the presence of both this brothel and the small town inn, Genma could only conclude that they were after the same thing. Yamashiro Kakuta and Noya Eijimaru had one thing in common: they were both suspected or had been suspected of having a connection with the Akatsuki criminal organization. It was without a single doubt that she was after information as well. The question was: why?

As he watched her he couldn't keep the amusement away. It was interesting. _She _was interesting. What did she want with the group? Who was she?

Her long hair danced around her as a draft blew in from the window he had slid open. Her hair was beautiful. If he touched it he was certain that it would be as silky and soft as it looked. It was also so dark that it nearly blended into the shadows completely. He couldn't stop admiring the color. Even her eyes were completely black so that her pupils and irises were one dark circle. Such dark hair and eyes were very rare. He had only seen such features from the members of the Uchiha clan and even then only one came to mind with the darkest features. Sadly, it was a boy who was graced with them. A pretty boy, but a boy nonetheless and with great certainty he wasn't interested in boys. It was a great surprise to meet a gorgeous female with the exact coloring and he doubted that he would ever meet one again anytime soon.

Looking closely he could say that the Uchiha boy looked similar to Aya-chan. Only that he definitely wouldn't enjoy looking at that arrogant kid. Really, the boy was even more troublesome than Kakashi. The village was still expending some effort looking for him despite a complete absence of sightings anywhere for the last three years. They weren't able to confirm if he had indeed gone with Orochimaru, but intel had been gathered concerning the snake bastard's activities. Why was Orochimaru visible when kid was not? There was possibilty of death, but it was useless for him to speculate. There were more important matters to attend to.

Slowly, he took out a kunai from his pouch. The presence of its familiar weight and shape made him more serious. Cautiously he awaited the next move of his opponent as she shifted into a fighting stance. One moment they were only staring at each other. In the next, her face was right in front of him and his gaze was glued onto a pair of red eyes glowing in the darkness.

He gave up on trying to comprehend how it was possible that this female was the missing boy that had been in his thoughts just minutes earlier.

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Will edit a bit on a later date.

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